Automatic railway-switch-operating mechanism



P. J. RAMION.

- Dec. 26, 1922.

FILED FEB. 16. I920.

A TTORNEYS Patented Dec. 26, E922,

l team is arose PETER J. BAMIQN, OF SYRACUSE, NEW YORKiAEESIGNOB T0 BERTRElVI AND PAULINE 1a. BAMION, or isrnecusn, NEW YORK.

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Application filed February 16, i920. Serial No. 358,997.

'1 0 all whom it may concern: v

Belt known that 1, PETER J. RAMION, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Syracuse, in the county of Onondaga and State of New York,have invented a certain new and useful Automatic ltailway-fawitch- Operating Mechanism, of which. the following is a specification. I 1

This invention relates to automatically operated railway switches and has for its object an operating mechanism I for the switch point which is particularly simple in construction, economical in manufacture,

readily'installed andhighly efiicient and durable in use. i

The invention consists in the novel features and in the combinations and. constructions hereinafter set forth and claimed.

In describing this invention, reference is had to the accompanying drawings in which like characters designate corresponding parts in all the views. i i

Figure 1 is a plan View, parts being removed and partly in section of a preferable form of the operating means to theswitch point.

Figure 2 is an enlarged sectional view on the plane of line 22, Fig. 1'.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary detail view on the planeof line 33, Fig. 1.v

' Figure 4: isanenlarged fragmentary plan view of the electrically operated switch mechanism for operating the signal to show in what position the switch is shifted.

The railway switch is of the type described. in my Patent No. 612,863, issued. October 11, 1898,and comprises a frog, a shiftable switch point in the frog, means for shifting the point, and locking it in its shifted positionQ i The frog 1 is so constructed that it clears itself of water, snow, etc, it, being here shown as consisting of sides 2 and cross bars or grating 3 at the bottom thereof, the intermediate part of the cross barsbeing raised as shown at 4%; 5 is the switch pointpiv otally mounted at 6 in any well known man-- ner and movable on the upper ends of the ing the shifting of the switch point .5. In

winter provision is made to melt snow and ice by electrically heating the switch from a packing 21. The housing includes ade- The means for operating the switch point comprises a member reciprocally movable lengthwise of the switch point and at a right angle tothe shifting movcmentof the point, and motion transmitting means between said member and the switch point. p i i 1 7 designates the operatingmember asa :electromagnets 12 connected in any suitable manner in electric circuits. The motion whole which includes an intermediate part I transmitting means consists of a rod 13 n'iov- L able in a direction crosswise of the direction of movement of the member 7 and hair ing a 'followerfor wiper lefmovable in the cam slot '10 and the dwell portionor seat. This rod 13.ispivotecl at l5 to the switch point, the pivot lfi'beinghere shown as extending into a slot*l6"formed inonej of the cross bars 3 at thebottom oftheqfrog ii The follower l lzmoves into oneor the other dwell or seat lland'islloclred from movement laterally bythe wall of "the dwell 01' seat and hence theswitch pointfis' locked in either of its shiftedpositions; 1 1

This. operating mechanism is supported in a housing}? mountableon one side of the frog 1, it being here shown as formed with feet or flanges 18 at its opposite ends which rest on one side of they frog ,1, and are se cured to the frog 1, many suitable manner as by'bolts or capfscrews" 19. The rod one side of the box, this bearing 20 having tachable 'cover22 andisheld in position by hook shaped 23 on the under side of the cover which interlock by an endwise movement of the cover with lugs 24: provided on the honsingl near the upper edge thereextends throughfla bearing QOprOvided on her 7, this means being here shown as 21 segmerit 27 mounted a rock shaft 28 jour- 30 yond the ends of thetec-ith.

member 7 approaches the limit of its throw This head has a socket 3e: for receiving any f suitable turning tool or wrench. lhe electromagnets 12 are energized automaticallythrough means on the car and 15 within the control of the motorman or other operator, as is well understood by those skilled in the-art. I a r i I have also illustrated means for controlling the operation of an indicator which ,20 shows in which position the switch is thrown, this means beinghere shown I alternately operating electric switches 35, 36 V locatedin the housing andcoacting with the contacts 37, '38, saidv'switches being here shownas pivoted at-39, L0 respectively between their ends, and like arms thereof being connectedtogether by a link 4-1 and their other arms being arranged in the paths of shoulders 42, 43 provided'on the plate 8 be- Thus, the

I tothe right, Fig. 1, theslmulder will onthe switch arm 36and- IDOVGJt into ongagement with 1ts contact 38 and through the link 'il'the switch arm will be moved out of engagement with its contact 37. Lil re wise, when the member 7 is moved to the left,

Fig. 1, the-shoulder 42 will shiftthe switch arm 35 intoengagement with its contact and the switch 36 out of engagement. with. its

contact 38 [These contacts '37, 85 are connected in any suitable n'iannerin circuitswhich control the operation of signals or lights. 7

45 V In operatiom'the switch including a housin Hand the switch operating mechanlsnr can be readily attached to the switch frog and thepower transmitting rod to the switch point, and owing to the arrangement of the fmember 7 in adj-direction lengthwise of the switch point a particularcompact construction of switch frog'andoperatingmechanism isprovided. I

1n operationns the car apprmiches the I switch, the i'hotorman or other operator can readily'close the circuit, through one or the other ofthe magnets causlng the six Uh ,polnt to be thrown 111 any desiredpositlon said member, the intermediate part-ofcsaid member being formed with a rack. and-manual means includinga segment meshing with the rack, substantially as and -fo1.':thepurpose described. i

2. The combination of a railway switch including a frog, a switch :point shiftably mounted in the frog, means for shifting the switch point comprising-a support mounted on and secured to one side of the-frog and forming a unit with the frog, a shifting member mounted onv the siipportiand including a plate located intermediate of saidmemher and having a camslotextending-in a direction lengthwise of the switch pointiand the frog, electromagnets arranged atopposite ends of said member to alternately throw said member .in opposite directions, and a shifting rodhaving a follower ar ranged in the cam slot, the rod extending transversely throughthe frog HDClbBlIlQ con nected to the switch point, substantially as and for the purpose described, 3.'The combination of a railway switch including a frog, a switch point shiftably mounted in the frog,:ahousing mounted directly on the side of the frog andforming a unit therewitln, a shifting member, mounted in the housing and extending lengthwise thereof and havine a plate intermediate of its ends formed with acam slot extending in a direction lengthwise of the switch point, electromagnets inthe housing and, arranged at opposite ends of said member to throw the same alternatelyin opposite directionawand ashifting rod having a followerin the cam slot, the rod extending throughthehousing and through the frog, andbeing-connected directly to the switch point, substantially as and for the purpose s eciiied. i

in testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name, at Syracuse, inthe county of Onondaga, and State of New York, this 5th day of'February,;l92().

rn'rn'n J. RAMUDN. 

